Abstract: An optical device includes a light receiving element for detecting light reflected and transmitted from a subject; a voltage part for providing a first bias voltage or a second bias voltage to the light receiving element; and a controller for controlling the voltage part so that the second bias voltage provided from the voltage part is synchronized with a light output of a light emitting part to be provided to the light receiving element.

Abstract: An optical sensing system comprising: a processing circuit; an optical sensor, configured to sense first optical data respectively in first sensing time intervals; and a TOF (Time of Flight) optical sensor, configured to sense second optical data respectively in second sensing time intervals. The processing circuit computes a distance between a first object and the optical sensing system according to the second optical data. The first sensing time intervals do not overlap with the second sensing time intervals.

Abstract: A lidar sensor device according to an embodiment includes a data generation unit that generates light identification data, an optical modulation unit that generates a plurality of modulated signals for the optical identification data by performing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation on the optical identification data and generates a plurality of laser signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of modulated signals and having different frequencies, and a transmission unit that simultaneously transmits the plurality of laser signals to different measurement points according to the frequencies, respectively.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, and devices for determining specular reflectivity characteristics of objects using a Lidar system of an autonomous vehicle (AV) system. A method includes transmitting at least two light signals directed at a target object utilizing the Lidar system of the AV system. The method further includes determining at least two reflectivity values for the target object based on return signals corresponding to the at least two light signals. The method further includes classifying specular reflectivity characteristics of the target object based on a comparison of the first and second reflectivity value. The method further includes updating a motion plan for the AV system based on the specular reflectivity characteristics of the target object.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes an optical source to emit a corresponding plurality of optical beams with synchronized chirp rates and synchronized chirp durations. The plurality of optical beams are each tuned to produce regions of constructive and destructive interference into a combined optical beam. A first optical component forms a phase-locked loop to correct nonlinearities detected in the plurality of optical beams. A second optical component transmits a combined optical beam toward a target environment and receives a target return signal. A third optical component downconverts the target return signal to a plurality of fixed frequency downconverted target return signals, each including a target range component and a target velocity component.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes a laser generator configured to generate a first laser beam proceeding along a first direction, and an inversion module configured to convert the first laser beam to a second laser beam proceeding along the first direction, the inversion module including a splitter configured to form a reflected laser beam by partially reflecting the first laser beam, and a transmitted laser beam by partially transmitting the first laser beam, and a prism configured to reflect the reflected laser beam.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and a method for generating high-power laser pulses with very high repetition rate. The laser system includes an oscillator capable of generating a source laser beam including a series of sources pulses with femtosecond or picosecond duration at a first repetition frequency no lower than 800 megahertz and an optical amplifier system suitable for receiving and amplifying the series of source pulses at a second repetition frequency that is equal to or a multiple of the first repetition frequency, the multiple being a non-negative integer greater than or equal to two, so as to generate a series of laser pulses with very high repetition frequency.

Abstract: Method for a runtime measurement of a signal between two events. A phase shift between the signal on the occurrence of a first event and the signal on the occurrence of a second event is determined, and to an arrangement for performing the method has the underlying object of providing a runtime measurement of a signal between a first event and a second event that can be carried out with a high accuracy, at a high speed, and with a low computational effort. A modulation signal is generated whose phase position is determined as a first signature for the occurrence of the signal in the first event. The phase position of the modulation signal is determined as a second signature for the occurrence of the signal in the second event; and in that the runtime is determined as a difference of the phase positions of the first and second signatures.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system includes light emitters that emit beams of light of substantially equal intensities. The light emitters form a beam polarization pattern with beams having varying polarizations. The LiDAR system also will include a receiver to receive light reflected from the object. An analyzer will determine characteristic differences between the beam polarization pattern of the beams emitted toward the object and an intensity pattern of the light reflected from the object, determine a reflection position that is associated with the light reflected from the object, and use the determined characteristic differences to determine whether the reflection position is a position of the object or a position of a ghost.

Abstract: A system may include an optical phased array, a photodiode array, and a radiofrequency (RF) antenna element array. The optical phased array may be configured to: receive a laser signal from a signal laser; and output an optical beam. Each photodiode may be configured to: receive at least a portion of the optical beam and at least a portion of an optical plane wave beam, wherein the optical plane wave beam is formed based at least on a local oscillator (LO) laser that outputs a laser beam having a different wavelength from the signal laser; and output an electronic signal based on the at least the portion of the optical beam and the at least a portion of the optical plane wave beam. The RF antenna element array may be configured to output an RF beam based on received electronic signals from the photodiode array.

Abstract: A distance measurement device includes an imaging unit which captures a subject image formed by an imaging optical system, an emission unit which emits directional light as light having directivity along an optical axis direction of the imaging optical system, a light receiving unit which receives reflected light of the directional light from the subject, a derivation unit which derives a distance to the subject based on the timing at which the directional light is emitted and the timing at which the reflected light is received, a display unit which displays the subject image, and a control unit which performs control such that, in a case of performing a distance measurement, the display unit displays the subject image as a motion image and transition is made to a state where actual exposure by the imaging unit is possible at the timing of the end of the distance measurement.

Abstract: A LIDAR system includes one or more optical components that output multiple system output signals. The system also includes electronics that use light from the system output signals to generate LIDAR data. The LIDAR data indicates a distance and/or radial velocity between the LIDAR system and one or more object located outside of the LIDAR system. The electronics including a series processing component that processes electrical signals that are each generated from one of the system output signals. The series processing component processes the electrical signals generated from different system output signals in series.

Abstract: One example method involves obtaining a plurality of scans of a field-of-view (FOV) of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device disposed inside a housing. Obtaining each scan of the plurality of scans comprises: transmitting, through a plurality of sections of the housing, a plurality of light pulses emitted from the LIDAR device in different directions toward the housing; and detecting a plurality of returning light pulses comprising reflected portions of the transmitted plurality of light pulses that are reflected back toward the LIDAR device. The method also involves detecting an obstruction that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV through the housing based on the plurality of scans.

Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a laser unit; and a first capacitive element and a second capacitive element that supply a driving electric current to the laser unit; wherein the first capacitive element has a smaller capacity and smaller equivalent series inductance than the second capacitive element, and a length of a first electric current path along which the driving electric current output from the first capacitive element returns to the first capacitive element is shorter than a length of a second electric current path along which the driving electric current output from the second capacitive element returns to the second capacitive element.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a three-dimensional (3D) map of an environment is provided. An example method includes receiving a 3D scan and portions of a 2D map of the environment and receiving coordinates of the scan position in the 2D map. The method further includes associating the coordinates of the scan position with the portion of the 2D map. The method further includes linking the coordinates with the portion of the 2D map. The method further includes storing submap data for each of the plurality of submaps into a data object associated respective submaps. The method further includes performing a loop closure algorithm on each of the plurality of submaps. The method further includes, for each of the plurality of submaps for which the position anchor of the submap changed during performing the loop closure algorithm, determining a new data object position for the data objects.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes optical sources to emit a continuous-wave (CW) optical beam and a frequency-modulated CW (FMCW) optical beam, a first and second optical coupler to generate a CW local oscillator (LO), and an FMCW LO signal. The system further includes a first optical component to combine the CW optical beam and the FMCW optical beam, a second optical component to transmit the combined optical beam toward a target, a third optical component to split a target return signal into a CW return signal and a FMCW return signal based on polarization or frequency, a first optical detector to detect a first beat frequency from a combination of the CW LO signal and the CW return signal, and a second optical detector to detect a second beat frequency from a combination of the FMCW LO and the FMCW return signal.

Abstract: A method and a system of calibration of a first lidar device and a second lidar device are described. A subset of pairs of positions of a vehicle as the vehicle moves along a path according to a predetermined path pattern are determined. Each pair from the subset of pairs includes a first position and a second position of the vehicle. A first field of view of the first lidar device when the vehicle is located at the first position overlaps with a second field of view of the second lidar device when the vehicle is located at the second position at a second time. Based on the subset of pairs, an extrinsic calibration transformation that transforms a position of the second lidar device into a calibrated position that allows to obtain a consistent view of the world between the first and the second lidar devices is determined.

Abstract: A laser diode firing circuit for a light detection and ranging device is disclosed. The firing circuit includes a laser diode coupled in series to a transistor, such that current through the laser diode is controlled by the transistor. The laser diode is configured to emit a pulse of light in response to current flowing through the laser diode. The firing circuit includes a capacitor that is configured to charge via a charging path that includes an inductor and to discharge via a discharge path that includes the laser diode. The transistor controlling current through the laser diode can be a Gallium nitride field effect transistor.

Abstract: A depth camera assembly (DCA) includes a light generator emitting a beam of light into a local area and a detector. The detector captures light from the beam reflected by objects in the local area to a portion of an array of pixels that each include a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD). The location of the portion of the array is based in part on the angle of the beam emitted from the projector. The DCA identifies a set of pixels of the array corresponding to the portion and selectively retrieves current generated from the reflected light by the pixels in the portion of the array without retrieving current generated by pixels in other portions of the array.

Abstract: A line monitoring system may include a laser source to launch a plurality of pulsed probe signals; an optical transmission system, comprising a plurality of loopbacks, to receive the plurality of pulsed probe signals, and direct the plurality of pulsed probe signals through the plurality of loopbacks. The system may include a receiver to receive a plurality of return signals, derived from the plurality of pulsed probe signals from the transmission system, and a perturbance detection system, coupled to the receiver, to measure a phase difference between a polarization of a pair of return signals of the plurality of return signals. The pair of return signals may be received from a pair of loopbacks of the plurality of loopbacks, from a first loopback and a second return signal from a second loopback. The perturbance detection system may determine a location of a perturbation, based upon the phase difference.